Organic diets with alfalfa silage for laying hens: Egg quality

Laying hens were fed with organic diets containing chopped, extruded or pelleted alfalfa silage and the quality of the eggs was evaluated. Four groups were conformed: a control group (A) fed with a complete feed mixture (CFM) and three silage groups (B, C and D) fed with a supplementary feed mixture (SFM). The SFM was formulated based on an assumed ingestion of 20 % silage and rapeseed oil was used as energy source. Before ensiling, the alfalfa was chopped (B) and additionally extruded (C). One half of the extruded silage was pelleted together with the SFM to produce the pelletized silage (D). Eggs from hens fed with silage (B, C and D) contained 2.4 times more n-3 fatty acids than A. The thermally treated silage (C and D) produced higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids. B and C (high rapeseed oil intakes) showed the highest monounsaturated fatty acids. In spite of the high fat intake, their cholesterol levels were similar to A (A: 12.4; B: 12.3; C: 12.6 mg/g yolk; p > 0.05) due to the anti-cholesterolemic effect of the alfalfa. D consumed the lowest amount of fat but the highest amount of silage, corresponding to the lowest cholesterol level. The fat consumed was essential in the absorption of carotenoids. Thus, yolks from the silage groups showed decreasing values for the intensity of red and yellow colour as the intake in terms of the amount of fat/silage decreased

Veränderungen der Fleischqualität durch den Einsatz von Luzernesilage in der ökologischen Broilermast

In a feeding trial broilers were fed with chopped, extruded and pelletized silage from young harvested alfalfa. The broilers consumed up to 30 % of silage of their total dry matter intake. In comparison to the control group that was fed with a complete feed mixture, the meat of the silage groups showed a higher percentage of poly unsaturated fatty acids, a reduced cholesterol content and an intensive yellow colour. The sensory characteristics were not influenced. With regard to the human nutrition these changes in meat quality are desirable. Alfalfa silage can be used deliberately to produce broiler meat with positive and healthy properties, and consequently as a marketing argument

Untersuchungen zur Mast schwerer Schweine (Langmast) fuer die Dauerwurstwarenherstellung unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung von genetischer Herkunft, Fuetterungsintensitaet und Wirtschaftlichkeit

Fleischbetonte Reinzuchttiere (Landrasse, Pietrain) sind fuer die Langmast (bis 150 kg) nur bedingt geeignet. Zwei- und Dreirassenkreuzungen (Duroc x Dt.Landrasse, Pietrain x (Duroc x Dt.Landrasse, Dt.Edelschwein x Dt.Landrasse, BHZP) wiesen eine gute Langmasteignung auf. Zwischen den Herkuenften bestanden z.T. erhebliche Unterschiede im Verfettungsgrad und im Fettsaeuremuster. Ein Wirtschaftlichkeitsvergleich zwischen restriktiver und ad libitum -Fuetterung ergab fuer die erstgenannte Methode einen knappen VorteilAvailable from: Gesamthochschule Kassel. Universitaetsbibliothek / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Injurious pecking in organic turkey fattening—effects of husbandry and feeding on injuries and plumage damage of a slow- (Auburn) and a fast-growing (B.U.T.6) genotype

ABSTRACT: Injuries and plumage damage (PD) are important indicators of welfare. First priority in turkey fattening is to reduce injurious pecking, which includes aggressive pecking (agonistic behavior) and additionally severe feather pecking (SFP) and cannibalism with their multifactorial reasons. Still, there are few studies available evaluating different genotypes for their welfare status under organic conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of genotype and husbandry with 100% organic feeding (2 variants with different riboflavin content: V1 and V2) on injuries and PD. During rearing nonbeaktrimmed male turkeys of a slow- (Auburn, n = 256) and fast-growing (B.U.T.6, n = 128) genotype were kept in 2 indoor housing systems (without environmental enrichment (EE) = H1−, n = 144 and with EE = H2+, n = 240). During fattening 13 animals per pen of H2+ were relocated to a free-range system (H3 MS, n = 104). EE included pecking stones, elevated seating platforms and silage feeding. The study included five 4-wk feeding phases. At the end of each phase, injuries and PD were scored to assess animal welfare. Injury scores ranged from 0 (=no damage) to 3 (=severe damage) and PD from 0 to 4. Injurious pecking was observed from the 8th week onward (injuries: 16.5% and PD: 31.4%). Binary logistic regression models showed that both indicators were affected by genotype (each P < 0.001), husbandry (each P < 0.001), feeding (injuries P = 0.004; PD P = 0.003), and age (each P < 0.001). Auburn showed less injuries and PD than B.U.T.6. H1− had the fewest injuries and PD for Auburn animals compared to H2+ or H3 MS. In summary, the use of alternative genotypes (Auburn) in organic fattening improved welfare, but keeping them in free-range systems or in husbandry with EE, does not lead to a reduction of injurious pecking. Therefore, further studies are needed with more and changing enrichment materials, further management measures, changes in housing structure, and even more intensive animal care